Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Russia is “without question a threat in the Arctic.” He added, however, that he “stands firmly” with Greenland and Denmark and “fully supports their unique right to determine Greenland’s future” amid US intimidation.
Carney was responding to a question about whether US President Donald Trump, who has been vocal about his desire to annex Greenland, is right to regard Russia and China as a danger to security in the Arctic.
Trump has argued repeatedly that the US must “own” the strategic semi-autonomous Danish territory in order to stop Russia or China from “occupying” it.
The Canadian premier seemed partly to endorse these claims while speaking in the Swiss resort town, saying: “Russia is without question a threat in the Arctic. Without question. Russia does lots of horrible things.”
However, he described the threat as “more prospective than actual at this stage, in terms of actual activity in the Arctic, and we intend to keep it that way.”
The remarks came as Davos looked set to see a showdown between the US and NATO allies after Trump ramped up tensions regarding European leaders’ opposition to his proposed acquisition of the island.
Trump on Monday posted an AI-generated picture on his Truth Social network showing him planting an American flag on the soil of the “US territory of Greenland,” two days after declaring that he would punish countries that deployed small, symbolic contingents of troops to Greenland last week with punitive tariffs.
He launched into familiarly bellicose rhetoric at a speech marking the anniversary of his return to the White House on Tuesday, publicly snubbing a proposed meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron after publishing a private message from the leader earlier in the day.
Carney said that Arctic threats are “why we have 365-day air, sea and land presence. It’s why we’re adding to our submarine fleet, adding to our air fighter fleet, why we’re building our over-the-horizon radar to protect from Russian missile threats and others.”
However, he also said that he “stands firmly” with Greenland and Denmark in response to Trump’s annexation threat
Alluding to Trump in his impassioned speech, Carney described the current era as one of “great power rivalry,” saying the “rules-based international order” is effectively dead and calling for middle powers to “act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
Trump has consistently eyed Canada as a potential “acquisition” and overnight posted a photo on Truth Social of a map depicting Canada and Venezuela both covered in the American flag, suggesting full American control over both countries.
The Globe and Mail newspaper also revealed on Tuesday, citing two senior government officials, that the Canadian military has developed a model response to a US invasion amid repeated threats.
“Stop invoking the ‘rules-based international order’ as though it still functions as advertised,” Carney told leaders at Davos. “Call the system what it is: a period where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as a weapon of coercion.”